In Sickness
by Ziggymia123
Summary: <html><head></head>When Castiel became human, he knew that he had to adjust to many things. Getting sick was one of the things he wished to avoid. And the consequences that come from it, especially when his friends need him the most. SICK!CAS AWESOME!DEAN NO SLASH Slight AU</html>
1. Chapter 1

**This is the product of a rather long conversation with the wonderful Bobadoo yesterday, who mentioned wanting some Sick!Cas. And that sprung an idea into my head, and won't leave me alone. This was the result!**

**This takes place during Season 5 sometime after Castiel becomes human, and before they kill Pestilence. **

**Umm... no warnings really. I guess some Pre-Slash if you look for it. **

**ENJOY!**

Dean was sitting at Bobby's table, polishing his beloved handgun, when a sight he thought he would never see came stumbling in through the backdoor, and proceeded to vomit his stomach contents all over Dean's shoes.

"Jesus Christ Cas!" Dean shouted, jumping to his feet. The now human angel looked up at him blearily, face pale and shining with a thin sheen of sweat.

"Don't feel good," Castiel mumbled, before throwing up again, this time on Bobby's kitchen floor. For a moment Dean was thankful that Bobby and Sam had gone into town for a supply run, so at least he can get the mess cleaned up before they got back, but it was immediately replaced by concern for his friend. Switching in his _'Big Brother'_ mode, he gently, placed a hand under Castiel's arm, and led him into the bathroom.

"It's alright, Cas," Dean told him, positioning the angel in front of the toilet. "I'll be right back. Try to get it in the bowl, alright?" Castiel grunted his response, and Dean left to clean the sick up off the floor.

Grimacing, Dean kicked off his shoes, and wiped them off the best he could before putting them outside. He kept an ear out for Cas in case he needed anymore help, and began to mop up Bobby's floor. The work didn't require much of Dean's attention, and it let his mind wander.

Pestilence was still roaming the Earth, and Dean would be lying if he said the thought that the Horseman had something to due with his friend's illness hadn't crossed his mind. But a small part of his brain was arguing that if it was indeed Pestilence's work, then Cas would be doing more then just puking his guts out. Therefore, the logic continued, Cas had just gotten some sort of stomach bug. His immune system was weaker now without his angel mojo.

Nodding to himself, Dean finished cleaning up, and headed back into the bathroom to check on Castiel.

"How you doing?" he asked, leaning up against the sink. Castiel glanced over at him, eyes fever bright.

"My head is throbbing, my throat is raw, and my stomach feels like it is trying to escape my body," Castiel explained harshly, "So not good." Dean raised an eyebrow. Obviously, being sick did not do wonders for Castiel's temperament.

"Are you gonna puke again?" Dean asked him. After a moment's thought, Castiel closed his eyes, and shook his head, wincing a little at the motion. "Good. Now let's get you into bed." Dean reached down to help Castiel up, his hand touching bare skin briefly.

"What is it?" Castiel asked when Dean froze.

"You're burning up," Dean told him, voice carefully neutral, hand pressed against the angel's forehead to check for fever. "Damn Cas. How long have you been sick for?"

"A few days?" he offered, not really sure when he had first been feeling poorly. Dean nodded once, and began to lead Castiel to the spare room that had become the angel's bedroom.

"Try and sleep, alright?" Dean asked quietly when Castiel was situated on his bed, "I'll be back in a minute."

True to his word, the hunter returned, carrying a bucket that he placed next to Castiel's head. The angel was already asleep, and Dean chuckled wearily, wishing he could do the same.

He stood there for a few minutes until he heard the familiar rumble of Bobby's truck, and the front door opening and closing.

"Dean?" Sam called from the kitchen.

"Down in a moment, Sammy!" Dean told him. He glanced back once more at his friend's sleeping form, looking peaceful for the first time in a very long while. With a sigh, Dean trudged back down the steps, but not before shutting Castiel's door with a soft click.

**I intended this to be a oneshot, but what do you guys think? Should I continue? **

**Please review! They make the world go round!**

**-G**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow. I am blown away by the response I got to this. I didn't even think anybody would like it! Thank you so much for all the favs and alerts and reviews! I cannot tell you how much they make my day. **

**So, back by popular demand, here's chapter 2!**

**And oh yeah, before I forget. Again. I don't own them. Really wish I did, but I don't. : ( I just steal them for a little while before the men in suits make me put them back. It's not fair I tell ya! Not fair! **

"Hey," Sam said when Dean appeared downstairs. He and Bobby were putting away the groceries they had gotten. "Where's Cas?"

"He's sleeping," Dean told them, "Came down with some sort of stomach thing."

"Pestilence?" Sam asked. Dean shook his head.

"Honestly? I don't know. If it was Pestilence, wouldn't he give Cas, like something really bad? This just seems to be random bug."

"We'll see how he feels when he wakes up," Bobby said, "It could just be nothing." The Winchesters nodded. "Now help me finish putting this stuff away."

A few hours later, and Castiel was glaring at the cup Dean was holding out in front of him suspiciously.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Something Bobby says will help your stomach," Dean told him, not mentioning what was actually in the foul smelling drink.

"Dean. What _is_ it?" Castiel repeated.

"Just drink it, will you?" Dean asked, starting to get a little frustrated. Castiel looked at the cup for a few moments longer before taking the cup, and taking a small sip. "Nope. You gotta drink all of it," Dean said when he tried to put the drink down.

"But it tastes bad!" Castiel told him, sounding very much like a child.

"Drink it quick then," Dean shrugged. "Either way. You need to finish it." Castiel glared at him, before gulping the rest of the cup's contents down, shuddering at the taste.

"That was horrible," he complained, handing the cup back to Dean.

"Yeah, well it'll make you feel better," Dean told him, setting the cup down on the nightstand before sitting down on the chair he had dragged in here. "You'll be back to fighting demons in no time." Castiel smiled wanly at him, before settling back down on his bed. When Sam came in to check on them ten minutes later, both of them were sound asleep.

Moonlight was streaming through the window when Castiel awoke, his stomach flipping restlessly. He felt hot, far to hot to be normal, and his throat burned.

"Dean?" he croaked, voice rough and cracked. Slowly, his eyes adjusted and he saw the sleeping form of the hunter, slumped over in his chair. His stomach flipped again, and Castiel felt bile rising in his throat. He tried to get out of bed, but his sheets tangled up his legs, causing him to fall to the ground instead. The sound of the impact startled Dean awake, and the hunter jumped to his feet.

"Cas?" he asked quietly, dropping down besides him. The angel didn't reply, just grabbing the bucket that was next to his bed, and heaving the contents of his stomach into it. "Aww… Cas," Dean muttered.

"They're fine, Bobby!" Sam called after coming to the doorway to see what the commotion was. "Cas got sick again."

"Not fine," Castiel mumbled, before getting sick again.

"Yeah, we know Cas," Dean told him, rubbing soothing circles into his back. He glanced up to see his brother looking at him. "What?" he asked defensively.

"Nothing," Sam told him, fighting to keep a small smile off his face, "Just remember when you used to do that for me." Dean rolled his eyes at him.

"Alright Samantha," he muttered, "Go get Cas some water will ya, bitch?"

"Jerk," Sam replied instinctively before going to get the water.

"Thank you Dean," Castiel told him, slowly sitting up.

"Hey, no big deal," he shrugged as Sam came back, handing the water to Castiel. The angel accepted it gratefully, and began to gulp it down. "Hey, hey, hey!" Dean scolded, taking the water away. "Little sips." Castiel nodded, and was handed the water back.

"You guys alright then?" Sam asked, hovering near the doorway.

"Yes, Sam," Castiel said, "Thank you." Sam nodded.

"I'll tell Bobby to make some more of that stuff for you." Both the Winchesters chuckled at the face Castiel made.

"Come on. It isn't _that_ bad," Dean teased once his brother had left. Castiel just looked at him pointedly.

"You drink it then."

"You know what? I will!" he told him, before yelling downstairs, "Make two cups!" Castiel looked at his friend surprised.

"Okay then," he mumbled.

**Please review! I have some swoon moments coming up! ; )**

**-G**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow. I am seriously blown away by all the reviews, favs, alerts, and the people just reading this! It's amazing! Thank you! ^^**

"Why did you want two cups?" Sam asked as he walked back into the room a few minutes later.

"Because I'm gonna show Cas that it isn't that bad," Dean told him, taking the cups, and giving one to Castiel.

"I don't know why," the angel said, already grimacing. Dean just grinned, and raised his drink in a mock toast, before gulping it down. Sam and Castiel watched him expectantly, laughing when Dean's face quickly flickered between emotions, and might have even turned a sickly shade of green.

"Son of a bitch, that's disgusting!" he declared.

"So do I have to drink it?" Castiel asked eagerly.

"Sorry Cas," Sam told him, "Drink up." The angel scowled at him, before trying his luck with Dean.

"Do I?" Dean nodded, patting him on the shoulder. Castiel sighed, before drinking it down, coughing a little on the taste.

"There ya go," Dean told him.

"I do not like being sick very much," Castiel admitted quietly, causing both Winchesters to chuckled quietly.

"No one does, Cas," Sam said. The angel nodded before slowly standing up.

"Whoa there, where you going?" Dean asked, trying to sit him back down.

"The bathroom," Castiel told him, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips, "Which I believe I can handle by myself." Sam managed to keep in his snickers until Castiel had made it to the bathroom, but it was hard.

"Shut up," Dean muttered, looking down at his feet.

"Dude, you're mothering the poor guy!" his brother told him, "It's kinda sweet." Dean was about to retort when they heard a loud crash from the bathroom.

"What the hell is going on up there?" Bobby yelled as the Winchesters ran towards the sound.

"Cas?" Dean asked quietly, knocking on the closed door, "You alright in there?" Hearing no answer, he opened to door, Sam close behind him.

"Cas?" Sam repeated, before seeing the angel crumpled on the tile floor, passed out cold.

"Damn it," Dean muttered, dropping to his friend's side. He gently rolled Castiel over, looking for any injury.

"Is he okay?" Sam asked, staying by the door because there was enough room inside the small room. Dean sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face.

"He's out cold."

"Dean, I hate to say it, but maybe we should get him to a doctor," Sam told him.

"Yeah, I know," Dean muttered, before gathering the angel up in his arms. "The hospital?"

"Will one of you idgits tell me what's going on?" Bobby yelled up the stairs, stuck where he was due to his wheelchair.

"Cas passed out," Sam called down, "We're going to take him to the hospital."

"M 'ine," Castiel mumbled, eyes opening up a crack. "Wanna 'eep." His eyes drifted close again.

"Sammy, we're going to the hospital," Dean said firmly when Castiel didn't wake up again. The only signs of life were his uneven breathing, and the slow beat of his heart. "Now."

**Yes, I know the chapters are short. Sorry! Hopefully I can have another one up today for you though!**

**Please review! They are my life blood, no joke! **

**-G**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again! : )**

**I'm am seriously blown away by the amount of favs/alerts/reviews I'm getting. Thank you so much! **

**And I know nothing about medicine. So if something is wrong, sorry! **

**Bobadoo, I hope you like Loopy!Cas. Hehe. **

**ENJOY!**

The ride to the hospital was silent, Dean driving as fast as he could. Sam sat in the backseat with Castiel, who hadn't done anything as far as to flinch when he had been loaded into the backseat. Dean made the thirty-minute drive in half the time.

"Sorry baby," he muttered as the Impala squealed to a stop in front of the hospital, narrowly avoiding a person. The Winchesters quickly manhandled Castiel out of the Impala, and through the doors of the hospital.

"Can we have some help here?" Sam yelled, catching the attention of a few nurses. One of them flagged down some doctors as another one came over.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Uhh… he's been sick with a stomach thing, and then just passed out," Dean explained quickly.

"How long ago was that?" the nurse asked as some doctors came over with a gurney.

"Twenty minutes?" Sam guessed, helping to lay Castiel on the gurney. The both watched as their friend was wheeled away, not hearing the next question until the nurse repeated it a third time.

"Is he allergic to anything? Anything that could have set this off?"

"What? No!" Dean lied, although she really didn't need to know that.

"No allergies," Sam added, "He just started getting sick this morning." She nodded before running off, presumably to tell the doctors. "Dean, you need to calm down."

"I am calm!" he snapped, before scrubbing a hand over his face. Sam sighed, smiling quickly at another nurse who handed him paperwork to fill out.

"Cas will be fine," Sam said, steering his brother to a chair. "We just gotta take this one step at a time." Dean glared at him, before settling down for a long, uneasy wait.

Four hours later that seemed a lot longer then they had a right to be, one of the nurses from before came over to the brothers.

"Mr. Novak is awake," she told them, "I can bring one of you over to him now if you like."

"Go," Sam said, "I'll go call Bobby. Tell him he's up." Dean nodded, and quickly followed her.

"Now, he has a really bad case of the Swine flu," the nurse explained, "And when he fell, he got a mild concussion. The doctors gave him some painkillers, so I'm not sure how lucid he'll be." Dean nodded, forcing a quick smile. Swine flu. That was the disease Pestilence had been spreading through out the country.

"Thanks," Dean said when they finally got to Castiel's room. The angel watched Dean curiously as he walked over, and sat down in one of the chairs near the bed. He was hooked up to an IV, but Dean was relieved to see that was it.

"Dean!" Castiel said, smiling brightly.

"Hey Cas," he said, forcing another smile. "How you feeling?" Bu the angel wasn't really listening, his eyes distant.

"I can almost hear them," the angel sighed sadly. Dean blinked at the sudden change of subject.

"Hear who?"

"My brothers and sisters," Castiel told him, "I can almost hear them singing to me." Dean's mouth opened and closed a few times before being able to actually say anything.

"Singing to you?" The angel nodded, eyes still distant. "Yeah, you're loopy," Dean muttered under his breath.

"It stopped!" Castiel complained, "I can't hear them!"

"I'm sure you will soon," Dean told him, looking behind him as Sam knocked on the door.

"Sammy!" Castiel said happily, smiling again. The younger man did a double take, before glancing at his brother.

"Painkillers," Dean explained.

"Ah."

"Were you always this tall?" the angel asked, "I didn't know you were a giant!"

"You are freakishly tall, Sammy," Dean grinned. "Like a Sasquatch!" Sam rolled his eyes, and walked into the room.

"I talked with the doctors. They said Cas probably passed out from lack of fluids," he said, "They want to keep him here for a few more days, just to make sure he's stable."

"But I want to go back home!" Castiel told them, brow creasing with worry, "I want to go back home with my brothers and sisters."

"He's talking about Heaven, right?" Sam whispered.

"Yup," his brother whispered back. Sam cleared his throat, before looking back at Castiel.

"I'm sure you will soon," he told him. The angel seemed to except this, and grinned up at them.

"Okay, this is creepy," Dean muttered, before standing up. "I'm going to go get a soda. Sammy?"

"Please," he told him, "Get me a diet this time, Jerk!"

"Bitch!" Dean called over his shoulder, looking around for a vending machine. He grinned when he found one after a few minutes, and quickly got the two sodas, purposely not getting a diet soda for Sam. He was just about to head back when something caught his attention.

Doctors and nurses were running down the hall as a man slipped past them quietly. He felt sick to his stomach just looking at him. The man passed him, giving no indication that he recognized the hunter, but Dean knew that he did.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered, coughing hard as the man disappeared around the corner. The sodas were dropped forgotten on the floor as he ran back to Castiel's room. Because that man had a ring. A green ring.

**I hope you guys all still like it! If you have anything you want to see, then tell me in a review, and I'll try to work it in!**

**Please review! ^^**

**-G**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again!**

**I can not say how shocked I still am at the response I'm getting from this. Thank you! ^^**

**Again, another really short chapter. Sorry! Maybe another one up later tonight though! : )**

**Yes, uhh... this is embaressing. I accidently put Famine instead of Pestilence down a couple of times. Oopes. Thanks for letting me know guys!**

Dean stumbled into Castiel's hospital room, vision going blurry for a moment.

"Where's the sodas?" Sam asked before realizing something was wrong. "Dean?"

"Pestilence," he managed to gasp, "He's here." The angel watched him owlishly while Sam hurried to catch Dean when he tripped over his own feet.

"Dude, are you okay?" Sam asked, waiting to make sure his brother was steady before letting go.

"Fine," Dean told him, "We gotta get Cas out of here."

"Am I going back home?" Castiel asked hopefully as the Winchesters disconnected his IV and helped him onto his feet.

"Yeah," Sam lied, glancing at Dean. "You'll be home soon." They carried the angel over to a nearby wheelchair, and sat him down in it. No one paid attention to them as they wheeled Castiel down the hall and towards the back entrance.

"Alright, I'll go bring the car around," Dean said, but wasn't half way out the door when Sam called him back.

"This could be our chance to defeat Pestilence," Sam told him, "Shouldn't we take it?" Dean thought about it for a moment. His brother did have a good point. Who knows when the next time they'll know where Pestilence is? They could get the third ring right here and now. But they couldn't really leave Castiel by himself. Sure, they could drop him off at Bobby's but Pestilence could be long gone by then.

"Damn it," Dean muttered, "Sammy, I don't know. I mean I guess? I just don't know if we're ready for it. The guy just walked past me and I felt like I was about to pass out." Sam nodded.

"No, you're right. Go get the car."

"I like your car," Castiel told Dean seriously. "It's pretty."

"Yeah, we should get out of here," Sam said, regarding the angel warily. Dean nodded, before not running to get the Impala, but pretty close to it. They are not many things that creeped the hunter out, but Castiel, freaking angel of the Lord, calling his baby "pretty" is one of them.

"Sammy?"

"Yeah Cas?" he asked a little warily, rubbing his temple to ward off a growing headache.

"Why do you have hair like a girl?" Sam sighed, not even bothering to answer the question. Behind him, machines started blaring from one of the rooms down the hall. He turned to look as one of the nurses he met before came stumbling out, boils running up and down her arms.

"Oh my God!" she wailed.

"He's not answering," Castiel whispered sadly, but Sam was already running towards her.

"Did you see a man? He would be wearing a green ring," he asked her desperately. The panicked woman didn't answer him as she was rushed away by doctors.

"Sammy! Come on!" Dean was back with the car. Sam looked around for another moment before jogging back over to his brother. Castiel was already in the backseat, looking a little paler then before, but otherwise fine.

"Dean, Pestilence is here. We can stop him."

"Sam, we talked about this already," Dean told him.

"Yeah, I know but-" Sam started.

"I like the color green." Both Winchesters turned around to stare at their friend, missing Pestilence's car as it pulled out of the hospital parking lot. The Horseman knew they were there though, and smiled to himself as he sent a surprise to the now human angel.

**Please review! I love you all! **

**-G**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello my wonderful readers! This chapter really was supposed to be up like... three days ago but real life and computer problems got in the way. Hopefully this makes up for it! And I am still completely stunned by everyone's reaction to this. It just blows me away every time I get a fav or alert or a review. Really, they are my life food. It's kinda scary how addicted I am. **

**Please enjoy! : D **

Dean glanced briefly back at a sleeping Castiel in the rear view mirror before turning his attentionback to the road. The drive back to Bobby's had been silent so far except for Led Zepplin being played softly. Each Winchester had been thinking, but neither wanted to put a voice to their thoughts, as if speaking them aloud would make them more real, more likely to happen. Neither of them wanted that.

They both were wondering the same thing. Pestilence had them. He could of killed them in a heartbeat, but he didn't. There had to be a reason for that. The Horseman had walked right past Dean, and he didn't even blink. What was his end game anyway? Infect everyone with a flu that really wasn't that bad? It was the _flu _for crying out loud! No one was dying from it. So why even bother?

But Sam was worrying about something else too.

Back in Carthage, Lucifer said he had six months before he said yes. Those six months were almost up. Dean said that they were going to fight this. Screw destiny, they would do the fight their way. And Sam had believed him. Now he wasn't so sure. Now he was almost scared that he wouldn't be strong enough, that he would give in. Screwing destiny is a lot easier said then done.

Castiel dreamed, completely oblivious to his friends' worry. He had his own fears that plauged him. Zachariah hounded him through his nightmares, always getting closer. Sometimes Dean and Sam were being held prisioner, sometimes they were running with him. Sometimes Micheal and Lucifer had already taken their true Vessels, and he was forced to watch them tear each other apart. Sam and Dean didn't know he was having a nightmare. His body was perfectly still, his face relaxed. His body didn't even flinch when Pestilence invaded his nightmares and made them that much worse. A message was carved into his back, his blood beginning to stain the backseat of the Impala and his shirt. Castiel only screamed when Pestilence had fled.

**I'm crossing my fingers that another one will be up tonight. Please don't hate me! I know, it's short, I'm quite possibly evil, you're allowed to yell at me. **

**Review? : )**

**-G**


	7. Chapter 7

**It's Friday. Nine pm cannot come fast enough. Why Cas, why? : (**

**Now, I don't know what's normal for writers on fanfiction, but this fic already ha over 3,000 hits. I have 40something chapter stories with less hits then that. Holy crap! I can't say thank you enough. It's simply amazing.**

The Impala screeched to a halt immediately when Castiel started screaming. The angel was out of the car before Sam even opened his door.

"Son of a bitch," Dean muttered, finding the angel's back soaked with blood. "Cas, wake up. Wake up. Damn it Cas! Wake up!" he shouted, and Castiel's eyes flew open.

"Dean?" he whispered, "You're okay."

"Of course I'm okay," Dean told him as his brother crouched them next to them with the first aid kit. "It was just a nightmare." Castiel nodded before flinching when Sam lifted up his shirt.

"You're bleeding," Sam explained, "I need to…."

"Sammy? Sammy, what is it?" Dean asked.

"Pestilence sends his regards," Castiel said quietly as Dean turned him around to look at his back.

"Sam, patch him up," Dean said, voice hard. The man stood up and quickly walked over to the trunk. Sam watched his brother for a moment before bandaging the message carved into Castiel's back. The angel remained silent, wincing from time to time.

"Pestilence did this?" Sam asked quietly. Castiel nodded silently. "The message is for me, isn't it?" Again, the angel nodded.

"I'm sorry Sam."

"No, it's fine."

"Come on. We're going," Dean told them, slamming the trunk down, not even bothering to apologize to his baby. "Sam, help Cas get into the car."

"Are you okay Dean?" Castiel asked as Sam helped him into the Impala.

"Yeah, of course I am," Dean said shortly, before gunning the Impala and driving off to Bobby's house. He ignored his brother's questions, and eventually Sam just gave up. Castiel seemed to disappear into himself, not saying anything, and not moving if he could help it. If there was one thing that he was thankful for, was the fact that he wasn't nauseous anymore. It wasn't much, but there was something.

"Dean, what are you going to do?" Sam tried again when Dean pulled up to Bobby's house, and got out without a word. "Dean!"

"Sam, stop," Castiel told him, watching Dean disappear into the house. "Let me talk to him."

"Cas-"

"The message is carved into my back, Sam," Castiel said tiredly, "And you know more then anyone how Dean is reacting. Let me talk to him." Sam thought about it for a few seconds, before nodding slowly.

"Okay. See what you can do."

"Thank you Sam," Castiel told him, before slowly getting out of the Impala, back protesting every movement.

"DEAN!" Bobby yelled, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU"RE DOING?"

"Talk fast," Sam advised, helping his friend into the house. The angel smiled briefly, and nodded.

"You might want to lock Dean in the Panic Room," he observed dryly. The hunter chuckled when something fell to the floor, landing with a loud crash.

"DEAN WINCHESTER!" Bobby shouted at the top of his lungs. Sam and Castiel looked at each other for a moment before locking the front door behind them.

**Review? ^^**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello again! Happy Mother's Day everyone! : )**

**Sorry for the short delay, Friday's episode kinda made it hard to write sweet Cas. : ( What the yak writers? What the yak? **

**And thank you everyone who has reviewed, favorite, and alerted this! I love you all! : D**

Sam helped Castiel into the study in time to see Bobby corner Dean. Books were thrown all around the room, and the lamp was knocked over.

"You mind telling me why you're destroying my house?" Bobby demanded. Dean glanced around, purposely not looking at Sam and Castiel. After a minute of silence, the angel spoke up.

"Pestilence carved a message into my back from Lucifer," he explained quietly, "Three more weeks." Dean flinched a little, but no one noticed.

"Three weeks until what?" Bobby asked, praying that it wasn't going to be the answer he thought it would be.

"Until I say yes," Sam said, helping Castiel sit down.

"No one is saying yes," Dean growled, pushing past Bobby to look through more of the books. When it wasn't the title he needed, he threw them to the ground.

"Dean, stop," Sam told him, only to be ignored.

"Dean, it's okay," Castiel said, "It just means that we need the Horsemen rings by then."

"How is this okay?" Dean snapped, abandoning his search for a book. "How the hell is any of this okay? Pestilence is just screwing with us right now! He's playing with us! He could have killed us in a heartbeat."

"But he didn't," Castiel said calmly, "And I haven't broken out in boils or anything serious."

"That doesn't mean-," Dean began to argue, but stopped when the angel started coughing.

"Sam, why don't you get Cas up to bed?" Bobby suggested, "Dean can clean up the mess he made. Don't you look at me like that, boy. You're lucky you didn't break a window." Dean had the decency to look sheepish while Sam and Castiel disappeared upstairs, but worry clouded over his features as soon as they were gone. They had three weeks to stop the Apocalypse. That wasn't nearly enough time.

"Thank you Sam," Castiel muttered from his bed.

"Don't worry about it," the younger man shrugged, "It's the least we can do." Castiel nodded, before letting his eyes drift close. Sam waited for a moment to make sure his friend was truly asleep before going back downstairs to help Dean clean up. Castiel opened his eyes as soon as the door closed. He couldn't sleep, not after what happened last time. He really didn't feel like reliving that again.

Castiel slowly sat up, and coughed a few times. This being sick thing was getting very irritating very quickly. Did he really call the Impala "pretty?" Thankfully, he could count on Dean not to mention it.

He looked around the room, looking for something to distract him. Seeing nothing interesting, he slumped back down. He would not fall asleep. He would not fall asleep. He would not fall asleep. He would…. not…. fall…. asleep….

When Dean poked his head in ten minutes later, Castiel was fast asleep, mumbling to himself. He allowed himself a quick smile until the angel started talking louder.

"Go away. No. No. I'll never tell you."

"Cas?" Dean asked, stepping inside the room.

"No Michael." Dean's jaw clenched. That dick was invading his friend's dream?

"Cas. Wake up," he ordered, shaking the angel's shoulder. "Now." Castiel's eyes flew open.

"Dean?" he whispered.

"Yeah," Dean told him.

"Michael-"

"Isn't here." Castiel nodded.

"I don't want to go back to sleep," he told Dean.

"You don't have to," Dean said, sitting down next to him. "You can stay up for a little bit longer." Castiel nodded, and smiled briefly.

"Thank you."

**Review please? ^^**


	9. Chapter 9

**This is one of those chapters that no matter how many times I revise and rewrite it, I'm never happy with it. Hopefully, it isn't as bad as I think it is. If it is, then please tell me! Especially if it is! **

**And as always, thank you to you, my really awesome readers. This is easily my most read story so far. THANK YOU!**

**Oh, and the italics are... well, I'm not sure how to describe them. It's taking place in what will probably be the next chapter, or the one after that. We're slowly coming to a close here. Five more chapters left at the most!**

**ENJOY!**

"Michael was in his dream?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Dean repeated for what seemed like the millionth time to him. "The dude is freaking terrified to fall asleep. The only reason he is now is because he basically passed out from exhaustion."

"Well, I'll look but I'm not sure if there's anything we can do," Bobby told him, pouring the three of them each another shot of whiskey.

"There's got to be something!"

"I'll look!" Bobby said a little irritably, "How's Cas doing anyway?"

"Better? I guess?" Dean said, downing his drink. "I just don't know if we got another surprise down the line." _And knowing our luck, there probably is,_ he added mentally.

"But he hasn't thrown up, right?" Sam asked, watching as his brother poured himself another shot. Dean shook his head.

"Well, it's a start at least," Bobby sighed, "Grab a book, and start looking to see if we can't keep the angels out, will ya?"

"Yeah, sure," Sam agreed. Dean finished up his glass of whiskey before nodding.

"More whiskey?" he asked hopefully as the older hunter wheeled himself into the kitchen.

"What do I look like, a waitress?" Bobby called back, "Get your own damn drink!"

"Shut up," Dean muttered when his brother started laughing. "I'll just get my own drink then."

* * *

><p><em>"Almost there. Don't worry. Just hang in there a little bit longer." <em>

_"Promise?"_

_"Yeah! Of course!" _

_"Why is this happening?"_

_"Because our lives are awesome like that. Hang in there Cas. You'll be better soon. I promise." _

* * *

><p>"Yahtzee!"<p>

"What do you got, Dean?" Bobby asked, looking up from the book in his lap.

"There are these sigils that you can put around a bed. It kinda wards off mental projections," he explained quickly, "Looks like our best bet unless you got something else."

"No, it sounds good," Sam told him, "What do we need?"

"Uhh… looks like easy stuff. I'm pretty sure we have all the stuff already," Dean said, rereading the passage.

"Great! Now we-"

"I don't want to sleep," Castiel mumbled quietly. The three hunters' heads jerked towards the stairs. The angel was standing at the foot of them, a blanket wrapped around him loosely. His face looked ashen, his hair sticking up at odd angles. "Can I just stay awake?"

"Cas, we found a way to make sure Michael doesn't bother you anymore," Sam told him calmingly, frowning when his friend shook his head fiercely.

"I do not want to sleep!" he repeated stubbornly.

"You kinda need to," Dean said, feeling like he was talking to a small child. Castiel looked the part too. "You need to get better."

"I am better," the angel told them, but his argument was cut off by him coughing hard. "It's still better," Castiel added at their unbelieving faces.

"How about you sit down," Bobby suggested, "We can make you some soup or something." Castiel thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"Thank you," he said, sitting down on the couch, wincing a little when his back protested the movement.

"No problem."

* * *

><p><em>"Two more minutes Cas."<em>

_"You said that five minutes ago."_

_"Yeah, well… Just keep your eyes open." _

_"Okay."_

_"Hey, I said open!"_

_"But I want to sleep."_

_"Oh, now you say that!"_

_"I cannot control-"_

_"Yeah Cas. I know. But you can't. Not yet. After this, sleep for as long as you like, deal?"_

_"… Deal."_

**Yup! Please review, and tell me what you think! Especially if you didn't like it as much as other chapters! : )**

**-G**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey! Late update, I know. Sorry! **

**THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who has shown their love. I think it's like crack to me. Which is kinda scary when you think about it, but I think I'm okay with that. **

**Elmo, I really hope you get this chapter before you leave! : )**

**And I hope you all like it! : D**

Sam sighed as he finished drawing the last of the sigils around Cas' bed. After a moment's thought, he began drawing them around his and his brother's bed. It couldn't hurt after all. Downstairs, he could hear Dean explaining to Cas the pros and cons of different guns. Now that the angel was human, he needed to learn how to use them. Cas was even adding some things to the conversation, which Sam thought was pretty good for him. It made Sam think that his friend was starting to get over whatever the hell Pestilence gave him. He smiled to himself when they got into a debate over which shot gun was more efficient. Yeah, Cas was definitely getting over this bug.

"But what I do not understand is why there is so little ammunition," Castiel said, "It would make more sense if there was a bigger clip size."

"But that isn't what type of gun it is," Dean told him, "Specific guns have specific characteristics. Clip size is one of them."

"It still does not make sense." Dean looked at him for a few seconds before grinning.

"I know it doesn't. But hey, life is awesome like that. Things just don't make sense sometimes. Well, a lot of the time actually. Especially when it comes to women."

"What do women have to do with what type of gun is the best?" Castiel asked confused, coughing slightly half way through. Dean laughed, and shook his head.

"Not a damn thing. That's another thing I'm going to have to teach you about."

"I can hardly wait," the angel muttered, and if Dean didn't know any better, he would think that Castiel had just made a joke.

"Sigils are done!" Sam announced, coming down the stairs. "We should be angel free know."

"Great job Sammy," Dean told him, "Now we can all get some sleep!"

"But I'm not tired." The Winchesters chuckled, and Dean patted Castiel on the shoulder.

"Well when you are tired, Michael won't be bothering you," he said.

"No one will," Sam added.

"Alright, thanks a bunch. Yes, I know that I owe you, shut up," they heard Bobby say, and the sound of a wall phone being clicked into place.

"Who was that?" the younger Winchester asked.

"That was Rufus. He heard that Pestilence was in Jacobsville, Illinois, and thought we would want to know."

"That's great," Dean said, "We could probably get there by tonight if we leave now." Castiel seemed to sink into the couch, his shoulders slumping a little. The angel knew that getting the Horsemen Rings were top priority, especially if they only had three weeks left. But it still made him uneasy about the Winchesters leaving, and maybe a little hurt.

"Yeah," Sam agreed, "We could be back in a couple of days too."

"Then what are you idgits waiting for?" Bobby asked, "Get going."

"Good luck," Castiel told them quietly.

"Are you alright, Cas?" Dean asked concerned. The former angel smiled at him briefly.

"Yes, of course. Be careful." Dean nodded.

"Call if anything happens," he told him, before getting up to pack his duffel bag, Sam close behind him.

"The boys will be fine," Bobby said, trying to reassure Castiel. "They'll be back before you know it." Castiel nodded, before looking out the window. Bobby was right of course. So then why did he have this bad feeling in the pit of his stomach?

**Review? ^^**

**-G**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello again! **

**Yes, I know. It's really short. Again. The next chapter will be longer, I promise! **

**A huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed/favorited/alerted/read. I swear, all of those things completely make my day, and make me want to write the best I can for you guys. So thank you. **

**Enjoy! ^^**

"Dean. Talk to me. What happened?" Bobby asked, worry clear in his voice. Castiel was watching the older hunter from the couch anxiously. "Dean! Damn it!" Bobby swore as he slammed the phone back down.

"What has happened?" The angel was almost too afraid to ask.

"I don't know! The connection cut out before Dean could tell me."

"But something bad has happened?"

"Yes! I think. I don't know!" Bobby shouted. Castiel sighed, and nodded.

"Sam and Dean are in Jacobsville, Illinois, correct? So, we go there, and see if they need help." Bobby thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"Please tell me you know how to drive."

* * *

><p>The ride down was…. Interesting to say the least. Finally, Bobby just gave up and got them on a bus. Castiel just didn't pick up on driving too well. These were the times that Bobby <em>really<em> wished he had his legs back. But nothing short of dealing with a demon would get them back, so he had to make do.

Neither Winchester was answering their phone though, which made both men very anxious. Their motel room looked like it hadn't been slept in yet, although their bags were there. There was no one fitting their description in the hospital or morgue, so that was something. Sam and Dean just seemed to have disappeared, along with any signs of Pestilence. That feeling of dread was back in Castiel's gut.

"They have to be somewhere," Castiel said, watching the news intently, "The Last Day hasn't begun. So Sam hasn't said yes to Lucifer."

"Well there's something," Bobby sighed, hanging up the phone. "Rufus hasn't heard from them either." The angel nodded as a breaking story caught their attention.

"The Swine Flu epidemic has spread to Iowa, with over a hundred confirmed cases in Clayton County alone appearing overnight," the reporter said, "Health officials from the CCD are saying to stay indoors, and get the vaccine as soon as possible."

"Looks like we're heading to Iowa next," Bobby muttered.

"Pestilence is in Fairview, Iowa," Castiel announced.

"Are you sure?" Bobby asked, "And are Sam and Dean with them?"

"Yes, and I hope so."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

><p>The two men looked up at the building worriedly. Somewhere inside there was Pestilence, the Winchesters, and probably a hell of a lot of demons. And Castiel was going in. Alone.<p>

"Bobby, I've handled demons before," the angel sighed, rechecking his shotgun.

"Well, I still don't like this!" he said stubbornly, "You shouldn't be going in there alone."

"We don't really have another option here," Castiel told him, just as stubbornly. "And Sam and Dean need our help." Bobby scrubbed a hand over his face, and looked back up at the building.

"I know. I know. Just come back in one piece, you hear?" A tired smile made its way to the angel's face.

"I'll try my best," he promised, before crossing the street. He hesitated in front of the door for a moment before trying the handle. It opened easily, and Castiel glanced back at Bobby before slipping inside. Bobby took a deep breath, and sent a prayer up to whatever god was listening. They would need all the help they could get.

**Review? ^^ : D**

**-G**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello again! Sorry for the delay! The finale made me crawl up into a little ball for a while. Who is with me on pretending they did not just do that to our trench coat angel? : ( **

**Thank you to everyone who has favorited/alert/reviewed/read this! It certainly wouldn't have made it this far with out you all! THANK YOU! ^^**

Castiel quietly crept down one hallway after another, only stopping to check inside rooms or if someone passed by. His dread grew with every passing moment, the unfamiliar feeling settling in his stomach and heart like a steel weight. As he reached the third, and final floor, panic decided to make itself known, making him jump at even his own shadow. Castiel mentally chided himself as he tried to get his emotions under control. He wouldn't' do the Winchesters or himself any good if he wasn't more careful.

He held his breath as a dark shadow passed by the doorway of the storage room he was currently in, and ducked down behind a stack of old boxes when the door slowly swung open. The person (or more likely demon) took a couple of steps inside, and Castiel readied his shotgun. The gunshot would take away his element of surprise, if he even had it to begin with, but right now Castiel was thinking more along the lines of _'Get past this one. Worry about the rest when you find Sam and Dean.'_ But the figure slowly left the storage room, and the door closed again with a soft click. Castiel's breath left him in a whoosh as he waited for a minute to pass before leaving his hiding place. His head began to pound a little, and his stomach began making itself know, but the angel ignored it, brushing it off as worry and having some more important things to worry about at the moment.

Ten minutes, and another close call later, and Castiel had searched the entire building with no sign of the Winchesters or Pestilence. It didn't make any sense. He and Bobby had checked and doubled checked and all signs pointed to this being the right place. And the faint smell of sulfur in the air only gave credit to their theory. Castiel prayed that he wasn't about to be ambushed, or that the Winchesters had already been moved.

He was about to creep back outside when a small, cool wind tickled the back of his neck. Castiel whirled around, his shotgun at ready, but he was alone, the wind hitting his face now. The angel glanced up, and caught sight of a small crack on the ceiling, running parallel to the wall until meeting the corner. An attic? But there didn't seem to be any handles, or a way to open the hatch. He studied it for a long moment, wary of the movement he was beginning to hear out in the hall.

Castiel quietly pulled a chair over to look closer at the cracks in the ceiling. The draft was definitely coming from up there. Now, if he could only-

His fingers triggered some sort of lock, making the hatch pop open slightly. Not sure what he would find, Castiel pushed it all the way open, and hoisted himself up, making sure to close the hatch behind him.

"Who's there?"

The angel's gaze shot to where the croaked whisper had come from after he was not immediately attacked.

"Dean?" he whispered, walking around a file cabinet to find his friend tied up and dried blood caked on his face and neck. The large, scabbed over gash on his forehead was probably the cause for it. Thankfully, the older Winchester didn't look too worse for wear all things considered. Castiel himself had done worse things to the hunter.

"Cas!" Dean sighed relieved, and tried to smile. "What took you so long?" The angel managed a small smile in return, and got to work untying Dean's bonds.

"Where's Sam?" he asked quietly, helping the wobbly hunter stand up. "And Pestilence?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen either of them," Dean told him, worry seeping into his voice. He didn't want to think about it, but there was a good chance that Pestilence had brought his brother to Lucifer.

"Can you fight?" Castiel questioned, watching his friend sway a little unsteadily when standing on his own two feet. "Or walk for that matter?" Dean shot him an offended look and nodded.

"We need to find Sammy. Have you checked the rest of this dump?"

"Not the rest of this room, no."

"You got any weapons?"

"Just the shotgun," Castiel admitted sheepishly. Dean nodded again, and stepped out from behind the file cabinet, Castiel watching his every move in case he was going to fall. He was about to follow the hunter when a wave of dizziness hit him, making the angel grip the rusting metal cabinet for support. For a moment, Castiel was sure he was going to faint in a very unmanly (or unangely) way when the dizziness past as quickly as it came. He shook his head as Dean let out a small triumphant cry, and moved to join him.

Sam was tied up in the opposite corner, knocked out cold. Dean was still checking his little brother over for injuries when Castiel made it over. Besides a spilt lip and black eye from when the Winchesters had been jumped, Sam looked fine.

"Come on Sammy. Wake up," Dean muttered, slapping the sides of Sam's face. "I need you to wake up for me Bro." Castiel was about to suggest carrying him out when the hatch into the room burst open, close to ten men climbing up. All of their eyes were black as the angel firmly placed himself in front of the Winchesters.

"Aww… the cavalry came. How sweet," one of the demons mocked. The demons knew they outnumbered Castiel and Dean, especially with Sam out for the count. And the angel didn't really have any weapons that could hurt them, only a shot gun filled with rock salt. So the demons took their time surrounding the trio, looking forward to drawing this out. Because only Sam was needed. Dean was only being kept alive in the hopes that it would make the younger Winchester more compliant. But it seemed like Dean was simply too much trouble to stay alive, and Castiel was merely an added bonus.

Dean watched the demons angrily. If he was going down, he was going to go down swinging. He had untied Sam's bonds when the demons had arrived, so if his younger brother woke up in time, maybe they would have an extra fighter. But the hunter knew that it didn't look promising. The again, when had that ever stopped him before?

Castiel was worried. Well, maybe that wasn't the right word to describe it. He might be able to buy enough time for Dean to get himself and Sam out of here, but it was a small chance. And if he had another dizzy spell, that was it, the angel was done for. Apparently, he wasn't as cured as he thought. But it didn't matter. Castiel had made his peace a long time ago. He allowed himself a small smile before the exorcism began to roll of his tongue, the familiar words and sounds coming forth with him needing to think about it.

The demons snarled at him, and attacked, but Dean leapt to his side, protecting his flank the best he could and picking up the chant when Castiel was too busy fighting. Shot rang out, drawing a few more demons up to their room, but the two never faltered. Castiel made sure that he took the worst of the assault, physically pulling Dean out of the way when he needed to.

Eventually, the demons dropped back, clutching at their throats as thick black smoke tried to force its way out of the hosts' mouth. There was only one phrase left and Castiel allowed himself to relax for a moment, only a moment. The pounding on the back of his skull had increased dramatically as the angel fought, sometimes blocking out the pain from the small cuts and marked that he had acquired. Castiel relaxed for a moment as Dean neared the finally word, the gash on his forehead now trickling fresh blood.

The demon had come out of nowhere, taking both of them by surprise. Dean had just enough time to see the sliver glint of a knife before the demon lodged it into Castiel's side. The angel started at it blindly for a few moments before looking up at his attacker's face. Dean finished the exorcism with a feral snarl, before rushing over to his falling friend, not even watching as the demons billowed out of their hosts and were forced back to Hell.

"Cas!" Dean choked out, pressing his hand against the blood red stain forming on his friend's side. "Hey, don't worry. It isn't even that bad." Dean didn't know if he was trying to reassure himself or Castiel. "It isn't even that bad," he repeated, an image of Jake stabbing Sam in the back flashing in his mind. It hadn't been that bad then either. But this time was different. Cas would be okay. He had to be okay. Dean kept telling himself this as the angel's blue eyes focused on his face.

"It hurts," he mumbled quietly.

"It's okay Cas. It's going to be okay," Dean reassured him, casting a wild glance back at his still unconscious younger brother. "Sam! Wake up damn it! Sammy! Sam!"

**I believe there is only one more chapter after this one, and maybe an Epilouge. Either way, I really hope you liked this chapter! Please review, they really do make my day. I have a sneaking suspicion that I might be addicted to them. So please, help me with this habit! : )**

**-G**


	13. Chapter 13

***waves cheerfully* HI! **

**Sorry, I'm in a really good mood today. Not quite sure why. ANYWAY! Thank you so much to all the wonderful reviews I've gotten! They totally make my day, no matter how short they are. I love them, and I love you all! Yes, even my silent readers. THANK YOU! ^^**

**A little on the short side again, but that's all my muse is giving me.**

**ENJOY!**

"Almost there. Don't worry. Just hang in there a little bit longer," Dean said quickly as they rushed Castiel to the hospital for the second time this week. Dean bit down the urge to tell his brother to drive faster, and instead turned in attention back to his friend who was in the backseat beside him. Bobby glanced back at the two from the passenger seat, but didn't say anything.

"Promise?" Castiel asked quietly, the brilliant blue in his eyes far too dull for the elder Winchester's liking.

"Yeah! Of course!" tumbled out of Dean's mouth as a sharp turn made Castiel wince in pain. He pressed down harder on the wound, blood already covering his hands.

"Why is this happening?" the former angel whispered, and no one was sure if he meant the injury or something bigger than that. So Dean covered both situations.

"Because our lives are awesome like that. Hang in there Cas. You'll be better soon. I promise." Castiel nodded, and the car fell silent for a few minutes.

"Damn it," Sam muttered under his breath.

"What?" Bobby asked him as the stolen car slowed to a halt.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Sammy!" Dean protested loudly.

"Construction," the younger Winchester said tersely. "Hold on a minute. I'll try to go around it." Everyone held onto something tightly as Sam swung the car around, and raced off in the opposite direction. Sam met his brother's panicked eyes, and tried to offer him a reassuring smile. He wasn't sure that it entirely worked the way he intended, but it brought the fire back into Dean's eyes. Bobby saw it too, and knew that their friend would be okay. There are few things that could stop Dean Winchester when he got like that.

"Two more minutes Cas," Dean assured both his friend and himself. "Hang in there for just two more minutes."

"You said that five minutes ago," the angel pointed out, voice sounding weaker to his ears.

"Yeah, well… Just keep your eyes open," Dean grumbled, watching the spreading red stain on Castiel's white shirt warily, and repositioned his hands in an attempt to stop it growing.

"Okay," Castiel mumbled even as his eyes were flickering close.

"Hey, I said open!" the hunter yelled, making everyone in the car jump. Sam and Bobby glanced back at him, but said nothing.

"But I want to sleep."

"Oh, now you say that," Dean grumbled as Sam spotted the sign that pointed towards the hospital entrance.

"I cannot control-"Castiel started, but Dean cut him off.

"Yeah Cas. I know. But you can't. Not yet. After this, sleep for as long as you like, deal?"

"… Deal."

"Good," Dean said quietly, sighing in relief as Sam finally pulled up to the front entrance. The younger man jumped out and ran inside as Dean tried to help Castiel out of the car while still applying pressure to the stab wound. It wasn't the most graceful thing either of them has done.

"Excuse me, sir," a doctor said harshly, pushing Dean out of the way before the two of them even made a step towards the hospital. Dean almost reluctantly gave Castiel into their care, and watched them wheel him away. Talk of blood lost, wound size, surgery and percentages reached his ears before the door closed behind them. Sam brought Bobby's wheelchair over to him, and they watched a motionless Dean for a few minutes.

"You okay there?" Bobby finally asked, and Dean tore his gaze away from his blood soaked hands to look at his surrogate father.

"Fine." The word tasted bitter in Dean's mouth as he stalked into the hospital in order to find a bathroom. Sam and Bobby followed him into the waiting room, but stopped there to settle in for another agonizingly long wait for news. No one said anything when Dean joined them fifteen minutes later, his hands rubbed a little raw, but blood free.

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	14. Chapter 14

**Hello! **

**Well, we've reach the end of the road. Thank you so much for all the support I've gotten for this story. I was completely blown away. So thank you. : )**

**Enjoy! ^^**

"Mr. Perry?" Dean and Sam jumped to their feet when a doctor appeared the next morning, and Bobby repositioned himself to face the doctor. They hadn't gotten any news about Castiel all night, and no one wanted to leave for a motel unless something happened, good or otherwise. None of the three hunters were really the praying type, but the night had taken a lot out of them, emotionally and physically. God might be gone, but maybe, just maybe, he was still listening to his children. Maybe he decided to help a little more after all.

"Is he going to be okay?" Dean asked, desperation clear in his eyes even if it wasn't in his voice. After all Castiel had done of them, Dean couldn't allow the chance that Castiel was dead gain any real support in his mind. The guy had gripped him tight, and raised him from Perdition, turned his back on everything he knew and Fell for them, died, became human, and so many other things that Dean didn't even want to think about, all for him, and his brother, and the rest of humanity. Because Dean taught him about free will and to screw destiny. And to have Castiel die trying to save the Winchesters, again... It just wasn't going to happen.

"Mr. Young had sustained a rather severe injury, and lost a lot of blood," the doctor began slowly, and everybody's hearts sank. "He slipped into unconsciousness about five minutes after you got him here. He's receiving blood transfusions, and his injury is taken care of, but..."

"Son of a bitch," Dean muttered, and the doctor smiled briefly before continuing.

"We're going to have to keep him here for a few days, but I believe there's a good chance that he'll make a full recovery." Sam laughed in relief as a huge grin broke over his brother's face. The doctor continued talking, but Bobby was the only that it really registered with.

"Can we see him?" Sam asked hopefully.

"Mr. Young hasn't woken up yet. I'll have a nurse get you when he does," the doctor told them, before going off to finish his rounds. The Winchesters collapsed into chairs, grateful and exhausted. Right now, the Apocalypse could wait.

* * *

><p>"I don't think I like hospitals very much," Castiel said thoughtfully, causing his friends to laugh.<p>

"Nobody does, Cas," Dean told him, doing a good job of ignoring the many different tubes that were hooked up to the injured man if he did say so himself. "But don't worry about it. We'll get you out of here soon."

"Pestilence-"

"Disappeared," Bobby interrupted gruffly, "But we'll find him."

"And then we find Death, and we'll stop the Apocalypse, and everyone lives happily ever after," Dean finished, causing Sam to raise an eyebrow, but the younger Winchester didn't comment on it. His brother wanted a happy life? Well, of course he did, but there was no way he was going to get that by hunting. But if Dean had an apple-pie life, maybe with Lisa and Ben... Sam shook his head to clear himself of that train of thought. He would think about it later when he had more time.

"Um... excuse me?" a young woman asked timidly. Dean turned to look at her, and grinned.

"Can I help you?" he asked, even as everyone else rolled their eyes. The woman blushed a little before nodding.

"I need to give Mr. Young his medicines. It'll knock him out for a few hours." Castiel's eyes widened slightly and Dean patted him gently on the shoulder.

"See ya in a few," he told him before joining Sam and Bobby by the door. The nurse smiled thankfully before connecting a bag of fluids to his IV.

"We better get some shut eye," Bobby said, "We'll be back later when he's awake."

"Yeah, sleep and a shower sounds really good," Sam agreed, and the two of them started down the hall. Dean hesitated by Castiel's door, watching as his friend's eye lids slowly close, and his breathing begin to even out.

"You feel like joining us, or would you like to stay with your boyfriend?" Bobby asked pointedly, causing Dean to glare at him.

"Yeah, I'm coming."

The Apocalypse could wait for a few more hours while Team Free Will got their breath back. If you just kept pushing and pushing and pushing, you're going to burn out. And that wasn't the best thing when you need to defeat the Devil. So sleep and a shower and wait for Castiel to get better. Yeah, that did sound really good.

**Yup, so there it is. I'm not the best with endings, so hopefully this wasn't too bad. Again, thank you to everybody who reviewed, favorited, alerted, and read this story. It means the world to me. **

**Review for a last time? **

**-G**


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